Crossing signal



y 1930. J. A. MORRISON I 1,757,206

CROSSING 'SIGNAL Filed Dec. 20, 1927 Patented May 6 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE JOHN A. MOR'RISON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TOSAFETY SIGNAIi PAN Y, A. CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON COM- CROSSING SIGNALOriginal application filed December 4, 1926, Serial No. 152,622. Dividedand this application illed December 20, 1927.

This invention relates to railroad crossing signals, and moreparticularly to lightning flash signals. The present application is adivision of my co-pending application, Serial No. 152,622, filedDecember 4th, 1926. In

crossings. With the rapid increase in automobile trafiic, the toll ofhuman lifetaken at grade crossings has heavily increased in the past fewyears. I am well aware of. the fact that warning signals, both audibleand visible, at railroad crossings, are not new. However, there are somany warning lights displayed upon the highways, and so many attentionattracting lights displayed for advertising purposes along the highways,such as at inns, refreshment stands, and the like, that the ordinaryvisual signal has largely lost its value, as far as indicating theexistence of a railroad crossing is concerned.

Therefore, one of the principal objects in view, both in my parentapplication, aforesaid, and in this divisional application, is toprovide a railroad crossingsignal which will e so distinctive in apearance that there will be no danger of its being confused with anyother visual signal. This 'is accomplished by providing 'a visual signalwhich will repeatedly flash in imitation of a streak of light-- ning.Consequently, it will be seen that not only is the signal one which isnot likely to be confused with any other signal, but it simulatessomething that the human mind has associated with danger, throughout theages.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a signal, constructed in accordance with'theinvention,

Figure 2 is a view, partly in side elevation, and partly in verticalsectionthrough the signal casing,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view ofone form ofwiring which may Serial No.241,279.

ble signal 6. This signal 6 may be a bell,

a whistle, or the siren of my parent application, above referred to. Thevisual signal comprises a casing 7, having opposite side walls 8 and 9.These walls are opaque, except for sight openings 10. These sightopenings are 0 zig zag formation to simulate the conventionalrepresentation of a streak of lightning. Electric lamps, which may bedisposed at any desirable point within the casing 7, are indicated at11, 12, 13 and 14, though the number of these lamps may be varied asconditions require. These lamps are arranged in parallel in an electriccircuit 15, and are controlled by a rotative flasher 16, of conventionalformation comprising a plurality of arcuate segments 16, 16", 16, 16Segment 16 is slightly longer than segment 16, and 16 is slightly longerthan 16*, and so on, so that the lamps will be successively energized.Since these lamps are disposed at s aced positions longitudinally of thecasing%, it follows that the illumination visible through the sightopening will appear to be A the circuit 15 as including a source of E.M. F.

18, audible signal 6, and a section of railroad track 19, it beingunderstood that the presenceof a train jn that particular section oftrack, which may be insulated at 20 from adjacent sections of track,will result in completing the circuit, sounding the audible signal 6,and flashing the lights 11 to 14, in

succession. a y

The claims in my co-pendmg apphcation,

aforesaid, include the audible signal, and

the ni h m th reof, more or le s roadly. I

The present application is intended to cover the hghtning ash signal perse, irrespective of whether it is employed with anaudible signal or not,and irrespective of the nature of the audible signal employed therewith.

It is apparent that many ways of arranging the lamps and partitions willreadily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the '--which the lightsare energized.

The sight openings of casing 8 may be covered by glass in a mannercommon in illuminated signals and it is clear that saidglass may be ofany desired color, red for instance, to produce the appearance of a redstreak of lightning, if desired.

It is to be understood that the term successively in the appended claimsis to be construed broadly. Also-it is to be understood that the termlightning flash is to be broadly construed; The lightning flash effeetis primarily produced by the creation, across'the railroad crossing, ofa materially elongated streak of light, i. e., a streak of light that ismaterially longer than it is wide, and this effect is enhancedby thejerky illumination of this elongated streak. I wish it to be understoodthat the invention includes any way of producing, across a railroadcrossing, the general effect of a lightning flash. urther, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited'to the precise constructionset forth, but that it includes within its purview whatever changesfairly come within either the terms or'the spirit of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

L A distinctive signal for railroad crossings, comprlsing a casinghaving ,side walls, the major portions of which are opaque, and slflltopenings therein extending diagonally 0 said side walls, said sightopenings being of zig zagformation in simulation of a lightn-lng flash,a plurality of partitions in said casing dividing the same into apluralityof compartments longitudinally thereof, electric lamps in saidcompartments, and means for energizing said lamps successively, the saidlightning flash simulation constituting the only illumination inconjunction with said signal.

2. A- distinctive signal for railroad cross 1 ings, comprising a casinghaving side walls,-

a sight opening of zig zag formation formed in one 0 said side wallssimulating the conventional representation of a lightning flash, andextending diagonally of said casing substantially from end to endthereof, electric ma or portions of which are opaque, and a sightopening therein extending diagonally -of said side walls, said sightopening being of zigzag formation in simulation of a lightning flash, aplurality of partitions in said casing, which extend obliquely acrosssaid casing, at an angle oppositetothat ofthesight opening, and dividingthe same into a plurality of compartments longitudinally thereof, saidsight opening being common to all of said compartments, an electric lampin each of said compartments, and means for energizing said lampsuccessively, the said lightning flash simulation constituting the onlyillumination in conjunction with said signal.

4. A distinctive signal for railroad crossings, comprising a casing ofelongated rectangular formation having side walls, the major portionsof-which are opaque, and a sight opening therein extending diagonally ofsaid side walls, said sight opening being of zigzag formation insimulation of a lightning flash, a plurality of partitions in saidcasing which extend obliquely across said casing at an angle opposite tothat of the sight opening and dividing the same into a plurality ofcompartments longitudinally thereof, said sight opening being common toall of said compartments, an electric lamp in each of said compartments,said lamps being supported from the top of the casing at that endthereof where the sight opening lies nearestthe to of the casing, andbeing disposed upon the ottom of the casing at that end of the casingwhere the sight opening lies nearest the bottom of the casing, and meansfor energizing said lamps successively, the said lightning flashsimulation constituting the only illumination in conjunction with saidsignal.

5. A distinctive signal for railroad crossings, comprising a casing ofelongated rectangular formation having side walls, the major portions ofwhich are opaque, and

a sight opening in each of the side walls of said casing of zig zagformation in simulation of'a lightning flash, said sight openingsextending diagonally with respect to the side walls of the casing, thesight opening at one side of the casing extending from the upper outercorner of the casing to the lower inner corner thereof, and the sightopening at the other side of the casing extending from the I lower outercorner to the upper inner corner,

a plurality of electric lights spaced longitudinally along the interiorof said casing, and means for successively energizing the said lights.6. A distinctive signal for railroad crossings, comprising a casing ofelongated rectangular formation, having side walls, the ma or portionsof which are opaque, and a sight opening in each of the side walls ofsaid casing of zig zag formation in simulation of a lightning flash,said sight openings extending diagonally with respect to the side wallsof the casing, the sight opening at one side of the casing extendingfrom the upper outer corner of the casin to the lower inner cornerthereof, and the sight opening at the '15. A railroad crossing warningsignal nature.

JOHN A. MORRISON.

other side of the casing extending from the lower outer corner to theupper inner corner, a plurality of partitions dividing the interior ofthe casing into a plurality of independent compartments, individualelectric lights for the several compartments, and means for successivelyenergizing said lights. 7. A railroad crossing warning signal havmg aportion constructed in simulation of a hghtning flash, and means forilluminating said portion. 8. A railroad crossing warning signal, havmga portion constructed in simulation of a lightning flash, and means forilluminating saidportion in a jerky manner. I

9. A railroad crossing warning signal, having a portion constructed insimulation of a lightning flash, and means for illuminating said portionin a series of steps.

10. railroad crossing warning signal, comprising a casing having a sightopening made in simulation of a lightning flash, and means forinteriorly illuminating said casing.

11. railroad crossing warning signal, compr sing a casing having a sightopening made in simulation of a lightning flash, and

'means for interiorly illuminating said casmg in a step-by-step manner.

12. In association with a railroad crossing, a warning signal having aportion constructed in simulation of a lightning flash and disposedsubstantially transversely across the approach to said crossing, andmeans for illuminating said portion. v

13. The combination, in association with a raiload crossing, of a warninsignal ha'vmg a portion constructed in simulation of an elongatedlightning flash disposed with A its length across the approach to said 0ossmg, and an interior illgminating means or said signal, comprising aplurality of elements disposed along the length of said portion, whichare energized successively.

14. The herein described method of warnmg persons about to cross arailroad track of the approach of a train, which comprises flashingacross the approach to the track,

an illuminated signal of such a nature as tosimulate an elongatedlightning fiash

